Car underframe



F'. KLEMOFF CAR UNDERFRAME )une 7, 1927.

Filed Oct. l0. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 7, 1927.

Ff. KLEMOFF CAR UNDERFRAME Filed Oct. l0, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 7, 1927.

entre!) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL KLEMOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL AMERICAN TANK CAR CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

GAR UNDERFRAME.

Application filed October 10, 1924. Serial No. 742,864.

My improvement relates more particularly to body-bolster construction of underframes especially for tank cars.

rllhe particular type of underframe lto which my invention relates, as to one of its phases, comprises a center-sill structure with bolster-members secured thereto to extendv Y outwardly therefrom, with the connections Cal between the bolster-members and the centersill and the form ofthe bolster-members,

such as to cause the structure to present the desired resistance to the stresses to which a structure in use, especially when it forms a part of a tank-car, is subjected, without requiring a cross-connecting member, separate from the bolster-members and extending along the lower portions of the latter for connecting these members either with each other or with the center-sill.

(')ne of my objects is to provide a structure of the general type above referred to, which while being sufficiently resistant tothe stresses to which/it is subjected in use, may be manufactm'ed at less cost and be of less weight than structures of this type as hitherto designed and by the provision of which manufacturing dilliculties .will loe minimized.

Another object is to provide improvements in the tank-band and running-board attachu ments of nmlerframes, especially for tank cars, whereby this part of the structure may be produced more economically, and without sacrificing strengtl'i of the structure.

t `Referring to the accompanying` drawingsz- Figure 1 is a cross-sectional. view of a tank car en'ibodying my invention,my improved body-bolster construction being shown in elevation and. a portion of the tank being broken away. Figure 2 is a broken sectional elevational view taken at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 3 is a broken plan'view of the structure, with the tank and certain of the saddle blocks, forming a part of the strncture, removed. Figure l is a section taken at the line 4l 4 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows, with portions of the spacer shown in section and Figure 5, a section taken at the line-5 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

rllhe construction of` underframe illustrated in the drawings is formed of a center sill comprising two parallel, spaced-apart,

channel girders 10, the upper and vlower.

flange portions l1 and 12 of which extend outwardly, as shown, whereby the channel portions of the sill, and represented at 13, toe outwardly. The girders 10 are connected together at their upper edges by a cover- 'plate 14 which overlies, the vflanges 11 throughout the length ofthe sill and is se-y cured thereto by rivets 15. The girders 10 are also connected together, in the plane of each body bolster portion of the structure, by a center-brace member 16 secured to the girders by rivets 17, and extending across the underside of the sill and across the member 16, at each body bolster, is a center-plate v.member 18 which is secured to the girders 1() bv rivets 19 and to the member 16 by tured at23 and 24: and presenting .there between a web-portion 25 which inclines downwardly and outwardly as shown. Each member 21 is provided at opposite faces thereof with flanges 26, 27, 28 and 29 which extend along the upper and side marginal edges of the member and along itslower portion, respectively. The member 21 below the flanges 29 at the lower portionof the member 2l. at its inner end, has integrally formed therewith a web SO provided along its side and bottom edges, with flanges 31, 32 and 33. The marginal edges'of the openings 23 and 24 are provided with flanges 34. and 35, respectively, as shown, the flanges 34 merging at their ends into the flanges 29. The flanges 26, 27 and 28 in the yconstruction shown, are of substantially uniform width and relatively wide, whereas the flanges 3st and 85 and the flanges 32 and 33 are relatively narrow, as shown. The vertical portions of the flanges 31 are of the same width a's the vertical flanges 2S of which they are4 continuations and the flanges 29 are of slightly less width than the flanges 26, 27 and 28.

The bolster me1nbers'21 extend flatwise at their flanges 28 and 31 and portions of their flanges 26 against the side and upper walls of the channels 13 and are secured to the center sill in this position by the rivets 15 and 17, which extend through the Vflanges 26, 28 and 31, and by rivets 36, and additional connection between the men'ibers 21Yand the center siii structure is provided by the provision ot ai plate 37 which extends crosswise ot the center sill and across the plate 11i 'to a position in which its opposite ends overlap the upper surfaces ot the -n'iembersis 21, this plate being secured to the center sill by the rivets 15 and rivets 3) and to the members 21 by rivets 4U, 41 and 42.

The body bolster constructions described, in the particular construction shown, 'form saddles 't'or supporting the tank, represented at 43, there being provided between the members 21 andthe `tank 43, a series ot liller, or saddle, blocks 44 ot any suitable material as for example wood, such as are vcomn'ionly provided.

The upper surfaces of the bolster members 21 are shown of concave 'Form to conform generally'to the curvature oi" `the tank, though it will be understood that under certain conditions the upper surfaces oft these members may be varied, as desired, in some cases being made straight.

Each bolster' member 21 is provided, adiacent its outer end, with depending pressed steel body side bearings 45 secured thereto by the rivets represented at- 46, and at its outer extremity with an outwardly projecting lug 47 cast vintegrally with the member 21 and of channel -liorm as shown with its side flanges 48 and 4S) extending upwardly from its `base-portion 50. rThe lugs 47 form supports A'tor running-board-supporting members 52 and tank-bands 53. The running-board-supporting members 52 ar ot angle form in `cross-section, as shown in Figu2, and lit tlatwise, at their flange-portions 54, against the side surfaces of the flanges 48 in which position they are secured by rivets55 and 5G, the members 52 being shown asrein'iorcedby angle-bars 57 secured thereto by the rivets 56 and rivets 58. The members 52 preferably bear endwise against the outer end-faces of the members 21 and, by preference, are ot the general shape shown; namely, ot outwardly tapering -lorm, at their inner ends, as represented at 59, with their extreme outer ends, at which the running-boards 60 are secured, relatively shallow. 4The members 52 thus shaped are i-suiiiciently strong to resist the stresses eX- erted against them in use, while being' of relatively light' weight, with consequent economy of manufacture.

The ends ot' the tank-bands 53, a pair ot which is provided ior the tank at each bolster portion, extend downwardly through holes in the sub-portion v5() oi" the'lug 47 and are provided at their lower, protruding, threaded ends with nuts Gl. tor drawing the bands about the tank.

Each m-ember 21 is also provided with push-pole pockets G2 integral therewith, and with a lug 63 at the opening 24 for receiving a U-bolt 64 provided for the purpose of clamping the air-line brake-pipe ',(not shown) in place. Y

'By providing the members 21 in the form shown and described, and particularly when assembled with theother parts, as shown, they may be ol relatively light weight, and economically manufactured and still present the necessary resistance to the 'forces exerted against them in the use ot the car, without requiring the use ot cross-members at the lower portions oi the members 21 directly connecting them either with each other or `with the sill ot the car. i Inthis connection the provision ot the inclined stress-resisting elemen s 25, especially in connection with the `llanging oit the members, including the ilanges 29, is oi' especial advantage as by thus disposing' the elenien 25 they occupy positions in which they resist stresses to the best advantage with the minimum cross-section of metal. Furthermore by forming the members 1, as shown, the bearing ot' these members against both the upper and rlower flanges of the sill-girders is rendered unnecessary and thus grinding or otherwise shaping the `preformed members 21 to lit them in the channels oit the girders, when variations `in the latter occur, is unnecessary. e

lWhilc l have illustrated anddescribedja enl particular construction embodying my `1nvention, I do not wish/to be understoodas intending to limit it thereto as the same maybe variously modified and altered without departing trom the spirit oi' my invention. A n

TWhat claim as new and desire to lsecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A. car undertrame comprising a centersill structure,bolster-members located at opposite sides of said center-silland extending outwardly therefrom, said members being,` provided with webs and flanges extending crosswise thereof, each of said webs'containing `a plurality of openings thercthrough'so shaped as to cause 'each web to present a` stress-resisting portion which inclines downwardly in a direction awa-yirom said-center-sill, certain of said flanges being provided along the marginal edges o'lfsaid a er-V tures, and means connecting VsaidV mem ers to said center-sill. 2. A car under-trame comprising a centersill structure, bolster-members `located "at opposite sides ot said center-sill and extending outwardy therefrom, said `members be ing provided with webs containing apertures and provided with flanges along their lateral and top `marginal edges and along their lower portions, said 'flanges at the lower portions ot said members being substantially ystraight and connected with the flanges at the sides of said members, said members also being provided with depending flanged web portions which extend below the said flanges at the lower portions o1 said members and the flanges of which form continuations of the flanges at the inner ends of said members, said apertures being so disposed as to cause eachv web to present a stress-resisting portion which inclines downwardly in a direction away from said center-sill, and means connecting said members to said center-sill.

A car underframe comprising a center-sill structure presenting channel portions toeing outwardly, bolster-members located at opposite sides of said center-sill and extendingl outwardly therefrom, said members extending at their inner ends into said channels and each presenting a stress-resisting portion which inelines downwardly in a direction away from said center-sill, said members being provided with flanges at their side and top marginal edges and along their lower portions and extending into said channels at flanged portions thereof, said members also being provided with depending flanged portions extending below said lirst-referred-to flanges and also extending into said channels, and means securing said members to said center-sill and engaging the flanges at the inner ends of said members.

il. A car underframe comprising a centersill structure, bolster-forming members carried thereby and extending outwardly therefrom, lugs on said members presenting upwardly-extending surfaces and containing tank-band-receiving openings, runningboard-supporting members positioned flatwise against the outer vertical surfaces of said lugs, and means securing said supporting members in said position.

5. A car underframe comprising a centersill structure, bolster-forming members carried thereby and extending outwardly therefrom, lugs on said members presenting upwardly-extending surfaces, running-boardsupporting members positioned flatwise against saidv surfaces of said lugs, the inner end portion of each of said last-named members tapered toward the outer end portion, and means securing said supporting members in said position.

6'. A car underframe,comprising a centersill structure, bolster-forming members carried thereby andextending outwardly therefrom, lugs on said members presenting upwardly-extending surfaces, running-boardsupporting members positioned flatwise against said surfaces of said lugs, the inner end portion of each of said last-named members tapered toward the outer end portion, and means securing said supporting members in said position, the inner extremities of said last-named members endwise abutting the outer end surfaces of saidy bolsterforming members.

7. A car underframe comprising a centersill structure, bolster-forming members carried thereby and extending outwardly therefrom, lugs on said members presenting upwardly-extending surfaces, running-board supporting membersof angle shape in crosssection positioned flatwise against said surfaces of said lugs, and means securing said supporting members in said position.

8. A car underframe comprising a centersill structure, bolster-forming members carried thereby and extending outwardly therefrom, lchannel lugs on said members with their flanges extending upwardly, said lugs containing tank-band-receiving openings, running-bcard-supporting members positioned flatwise against the outer vertical surfaces of the side flanges of said lugs, and means securing said supporting members in said position.

' PAUL KLEMOFF. 

